Ukraine grain exports through Black Sea unlikely to resume soon

Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi has warned that the resumption of grain exports through the Black Sea is unlikely in the coming months. He stated that the situation remains critical as Russia has rejected all proposals from Kyiv regarding safe maritime transport for agro-food products.

While Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently indicated a positive response from President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding de-escalation and the grain corridor, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that while proposals remain on the table, Russia will act based on its own interests.

Ukraine has increased exports via alternative routes, which currently cover approximately 45% of necessary transport volume. However, these routes can only accommodate about 50% of total agricultural production, creating a risk that Ukraine may be unable to export roughly 30 million tons of agricultural products during the current marketing year.